The Evolution of US Army Tactical Doctrine, 1946-76 (Leavenworth Papers, Number 1)

Abstract

Abstract : The tactical doctrine of the US Army changed considerably between 1946 and 1976. The changes which took place were influenced by a variety of factors, including improved conventional weapons, increased mobility, the development of nuclear weapons, the desires of different military leaders, wartime demand, parochial clashes between various branches, interservice rivalry and evolving national security policy. The competing or conflicting demands of these various influences often affected the formulation and dissemination of tactical doctrine. Army doctrine evolved amid great cycles of change, with new methods appearing only to be overwhelmed by the resurgence of older methods or the appearance of even newer methods. Although Europe remained the center of its primary concerns, virtual revolutions in tactical doctrine occurred in the late 1950s, early 1960s and early 1970s, as the Army shifted the focus of its doctrine from conventional, to nuclear, to counterinsurgency, to conventional operations. The combination of these changes has contributed to modern Army tactical doctrine being more complex than at any other time in American history. The purpose of this study is to describe and analyze the major trends in Army doctrine since World War II. While the development of doctrine for individual branches is important, this study avoids a detailed analysis of the narrower aspects and concentrates on broader themes or issues in the evolution of US Army tactical doctrine. Since the development of tactical organization and equipment cannot be separated artificially from tactical methods, the study also describes the major organizational and weaponry changes which were an integral part of doctrinal innovations.